Tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides for a tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device that is designed and configured so that the carpet seam protector plate is removeably secured to the tool box tray in order to increase productivity by also using the tool box as a weight on the formed seam while also providing for a plastic base which is perforated to allow heat and moisture to quickly dissipate to enhance the formed seam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device and more particularly to a novel and unique tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device that is designed and configured so that the carpet seam protector plate is removeably secured to the tool box tray in order to increase productivity by also using the tool box as a weight on the formed seam while also providing for a plastic base which is perforated to allow heat and moisture to quickly dissipate in order to enhance the formed seam.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] It is well known in the carpet installation industry that the most commonly used method to seam stretched-in carpet is a method utilizing hot melt adhesive tape. During the cooling period of this method, it is absolutely necessary to have an outside pressure exerted on the seam to hold it in place. The pressure must be heavy enough to hold the carpet and seaming tape together, while allowing for dissipation of heat. If the carpet is not allowed to cool correctly, it can become discolored, puckered and/or matted. Traditionally, many carpet installers place their tool box tray or tool box as a weight on the formed carpet seam in order to hold the carpet pieces in place while the adhesive cools and sets the formed seam. This weight is then slowly moved across the carpet seam to complete the installation process.

[0005] The use of a tool box tray or tool box can cause numerous problems to the seam during the carpet installation process. For example, discoloration, puckering, matting or even seam seperation can occur as a result of the bottom of the tool boy tray or tool box being marred or rusted. In addition, the tool box tray or tool box does not allow heat and moisture to dissipate as is necessary to prevent damage to the carpet. Therefore, it is not surprising that numerous attempts have been made to enhance the carpet installation process.

[0006] One such example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,686 issued to Franke wherein disclosed is a tool having a base plate with opposed upper and lower faces. The lower face of the tool is placed on, pressed against and moved along a connecting seam. Hence, the tool holds the carpet pieces in place while simultaneously dissipating heat from the carpet and seam, thereby quickly setting the seam.

[0007] Yet another example can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,173 issued to Wentz wherein disclosed is a carpet seam finishing tool comprised of a pair of rectangular bodies hinged back to back with the bottom surfaces having longitudinal ridges for alignment purposes. The bottom surfaces also contain air vent holes to receive the heat and moisture from the carpet seam.

[0008] Another example can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,514 issued to Hoopengardner wherein disclosed is a baseplate construction for an iron of the kind used to face seam carpet pieces with hot melt adhesive tape.

[0009] A final example can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,083 issued to Yrizarris wherein disclosed is a carpet seaming tool comprised of box-like member adapted to hold a heat iron used to melt adhesive on carpet seaming tape.

[0010] Accordingly, it is seen that there is a need for a removeably secured tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device that will enhance productivity in the carpet installation industry by providing for readily available tools, as well as result in a professional formed carpet seam. This device of the present invention will significantly reduce the time necessary to professionally install carpet. In addition, the present invention will enhance the organizational requirements of the carpet installation process by providing for all necessary carpet installation tools to be immediately accessable at arms length during the carpet installation process. This device will also prevent the loss of many tools which are scattered throughout the numerous rooms of the work area during the installation process.

[0011] Hence it is seen that none of these previous inventions provide the benefits intended with the present invention, such as providing a tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device. Additionally, prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, assemble, test and by employing only readily available material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention is a tool box tray carpet seam protector device comprised of a tool box tray which is removeably secured to a perforated carpet seam protector plate which will allow heat and moisture to quickly dissipate to provide for a formed seam during the carpet installation process. The device of the present invention will provide for a carpet seam protector plate which contains holes to allow for the heat and moisture to escape, is light weight and featues a convenient carrying case. The carpet seam protector plate device is removeably secured to the tool box tray. The tool box tray with tools therein, provides for the necessary weight essential to provide for formed seams. In addition, the carpet seam protector plate device moves smoothly over the formed carpet seam without any damage to the carpet thereby eliminating the problem of discoloration in carpet seams caused by heat retention or by rusty tool box trays.

[0013] Removeably secured to the carpet seam protector plate is a conventional tool box tray. This conventional tool box tray will provide the necessary weight to perfect a formed carpet seam. In addition, the device of the present invention also provides for different size toolbox trays by quick and easy adjustable holding brackets.

[0014] In the preferred embodiment, fastener mechanisms are mounted on each side of the carpet seam protector plate and may be snapped into engagement with the tool box tray, thereby removeably securing the tool box tray to the carpet seam protector plate. Also mounted on the opposite sides of the carpet seam protector plate are L-shaped bracket type units which support the tool box tray when it is snapped into engagement with the carpet seam protector plate.

[0015] In other embodiments of the present invention various other fastening means comprised of metal, plastic, or the like materials may be mounted on the carpet seam protector plate and also may be snapped into engagement with the tool box tray thereby removeably securing the tool box tray to the carpet seam protector plate.

[0016] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention the tool box and tool box tray is designed and configured so that each tool that is used during the carpet installation process will be available to the carpet installer in the order that the installer uses each tool while completing the stretched-in carpet process. It is well known that the installation of stretched-in carpet involves numerous tools that are each used at various stages of the installation procedure. For example, the first step in installing stretched-in carpet is placing a tack strip down to hold the carpet in place, which requires a hammer and a tack strip cutter. The next step is to cut the carpet padding into place, requiring a carpet or pad razor knife, pad glue and masking tape. The third step of the stretched- in carpet installation process requires cutting the carpet to room size and preparing for any seaming requirements. This requires the carpet installer to have readily available a tape measure, chalk box, carpet knife, straight edge, and a T-square.

[0017] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a tool box tray protector plate device which will overcome the deficiencies, shortcomings and drawbacks of prior carpet seam devices and methods thereof.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide for a tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device which will increase productivity in the carpet installation industry.

[0019] Still another object of the instant invention is to provide for a tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device which will be designed to eliminate discolorization in carpet seams caused by heat retention or rusty tool box trays.

[0020] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a carpet seam device which is cost effective as well as simple and easy to use during the carpet installation process.

[0021] Another object of the instant invention is to provide a carpet seam device which will prevent the loss of tools during the carpet installation process.

[0022] Still a further object of the present invention is to provide immediate access within an arms length of all the tools necessary to efficiently install carpet.

[0023] A final object of the present invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide for a tool box tray carpet seam protector device in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide for a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

[0024] Although there have been several inventions relating to carpet seam devices, none of these inventions provide the benefits associated with the present invention. The present invention meets the requirements of providing for a simplified design, compact size, low initial cost, low operating cost, while providing for ease of carpet installation with a minimal amount of training to successfully employ the invention.

[0025] The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed as features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure of this application. Accordingly, a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by this application taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the present invention being utilized on the formed carpet seam in order to hold the carpet pieces in place.

[0027]FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the body of the present invention.

[0028]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0029] As seen in the drawings, in particular to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device, denoted by reference numeral 10, which is designed and configured to overcome the deficiencies associated with installing stretch-in carpet. The tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device 10 is ideally suited for use in various stages of the carpet installation process. In order to achieve such a device, the tool box tray carpet seam protector device 10 of the present invention, as seen in FIGS. 1-3, comprises a conventional tool box tray 12 which is removeably secured to a perforated carpet seam protector plate 14 which will allow heat and moisture to quickly dissipate during the installation of the formed carpet seam during the carpet installation process. The device of the present invention will provide for a carpet seam protector plate which is lightweight and features a convenient carrying case (not shown). The carpet seam protector plate device 14 is removeably secured to the tool box tray 12 via spring tension fastener mechanisms 18 which are mounted on each side of the carpet seam protector plate 14 and may be snapped into engagement with a conventional tool box tray 12 due to the spring tension in the fastener means. Also mounted on the opposite sides of the carpet seam protector plate are L-shaped bracket type units 16 which support the tool box tray when it is snapped into engagement with the carpet seam protector plate. The carpet seam protector plate 14 may be readily snapped into engagement thereby removeably securing the tool box tray 12 to the carpet seam protector plate 14 and can readily be disengaged from the tool box tray 12.

[0030] In another embodiment of the present invention, the carpet seam protector plate 14 may be directly attached to the tool box tray 12.

[0031] In addition, in still another embodiment, the tool box tray 12 is comprised of a unique and novel design and configuration that will enable the carpet installer to access each tool used in the carpet installation process in the order that the installer uses each tool while completing the process.

[0032] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A tool box tray carpet seam protector plate device for carpet seam finishing comprising the combination of: a conventional carpet mechanic's tool box tray, a perforated carpet seam protector plate, and said protector plate device being adapted to removably secure said tool box on the upper side of said protector plate device.
 2. A device for seam finishing carpet according to claim 1, said protector plate device being in the form of a plastic plate material having opposed upper and lower faces, said lower face having a smooth bottom surface.
 3. A device for seam finishing carpet according to claim 1, said lower face of the protector plate providing for a plurality of through holes between the upper and lower faces.
 4. A device for seam finishing carpet according to claim 1, said protector plate providing for spring tension fastener mechanisms which are mounted on each respective long side of said protector plate and may be snapped into engagement with said conventional tool box tray.
 5. A device for seam finishing carpet according to claim 1, said protector plate providing for L-shaped bracket type tension fastener mechanisms which are mounted on each respective short side of said protector plate and may be snapped into engagement in order to support said conventional tool box tray.
 6. A device for seam finishing carpet according to claim 1, wherein said tool box tray may be comprised of a design and configuration which will enable the carpet mechanic to access each tool used in the carpet installation process in the order that said carpet mechanic uses each tool while completing the carpet installation process.
 7. A device for seam finishing carpet according to claim 1, wherein said device provides for a carrying case.
 8. A device for seam finishing carpet according to claim 1, wherein said device is designed and configured to accommodate different sized tool box trays. 